ShapeBuilder
Geometric and structural properties of cross sections
Create and Analyze Custom Sections
Engineers Choose ShapeBuilder
ShapeBuilder is the most popular section property calculator available. Customers tell us it offers "fast results" and is "very easy to use". This tool goes beyond civil/structural applications to include mechanical, aerospace, manufacturing, and construction industries.
Find Section Properties NowMake Custom Shapes
Create built-up or cut-down structural shapes quickly using a variety of techniques.
- Import CAD, STEP/IGES
- 25+ parametric parts
- Manufactured shape database
- Sketch outline
- Use cold-formed shape libraries from RSG's CFS Tool
Easy Shape Changes
Powerful graphical editor allows you to modify or change things.
- Drag & drop
- Snap, align, space equal
- Generate, copy/paste
- Rotate
- Any part as a hole
- Merge, intersect, subtract
Do Composite Shapes
Find transformed section properties for shapes in multiple materials.
- Wood/steel flitch beams
- Composite steel beam
- Embedded steel column
- Cover-plated girder
- Glass/aluminum frame
Get Stress Analysis
Investigate bending and shear stress distribution under body-force loading. Accurate finite element results.
- Biaxial bending stress
- Axial stress
- Flexural shear stress
- St. Venant shear
- Shear flow, VQ/I
Export to 
Create a library of shapes. Use these shapes as member elements in your VisualAnalysis projects. Even get design checks for certain profiles.
Manufactured Shapes
Includes built-in libraries of shapes from AISC, CISC, AISI, NDS, ADM, EuroSteel, Australian Steel, Rebar. Includes Historic AISC shapes, too.
Command Line
ShapeBuilder includes a simple command-line to provide another way of working with your shapes. This power-user feature offers the power of C# programming. Sometimes you know what you want to do, but not how, graphically. The command-line makes it easy.
Programmable
Create your own external scripts. You can automate the task of importing a CAD file, calculating properties, saving the ShapeBuilder project and creating a report. This is just one example of streamlining your workflow with ShapeBuilder.
Find Shear and Torsion
Calculate torsion and warping constants for open or closed sections. View the warping function graphically.
Make Excellent Reports
Create a concise one-page report with graphics to show all the calculated properties. Include dimensions or stress results.
ShapeBuilder Specifications
The following section properties are calculated by ShapeBuilder. Please see the User's Guide for complete details and training videos.
| Geometric & Structural Properties |
|---|
| Height, Width, Perimeter |
| Area, Net Area |
| Center of Gravity, Xc, Yc |
| Moments of Inertia, Iy, Ix |
| Product of Inertia, Ixy |
| Section Modulus, Sx+, Sx-, Sy+, Sy- |
| Radius of Gyration, ry, rx |
| Plastic, Polar, Principal Properties |
|---|
| Plastic Neutral Axis, PNAY, PNAX |
| Plastic Modulus, Zy, Zx |
| Polar Moment of Inertia, Ip |
| Polar Radius of Gyration, rp |
| Principal Axes Angle, α |
| Principal Moments of Inertia, I1, I2 |
| Shear & Torsion Properties |
|---|
| Torsion Constant, J |
| Shear Center, Xsc, Ysc |
| AISC Flexural Constant, H |
| Polar Radius of Gyration about Shear Center, ro |
| Monosymmetry Factor, β1 |
| Warping Constant, Cw |
| Other Properties |
|---|
| Modulus of Elasticity, E (for each part) |
| Modular Ratio, n = E/Ebase, for composite shapes |
| First Moment of Area, Qx & Qy |
| Body-Force Loads You Can Apply |
|---|
| Axial Force, P |
| Bending Moments, Ma, Mb |
| Shear Force, Vx, Vy |
| Torque, T |
| Stress Results |
|---|
| Normal Stress, σz (combined axial and bending) |
| Flexural Shear Stress, τxz, τyz |
| St. Venant Shear Stress, τxz, τyz |
| Combined Shear Stress, τxz, τyz |
| Resultant Shear Stress, τ |
What will YOU accomplish with ShapeBuilder?
The possibilities are endless. Over the years, IES customers have handled all kinds of jobs:
- Window mullions
- Architectural columns
- Custom pool covers
- Flitch beams
- Cover-plated girders
- Web penetrations
- Coped beam properties
- Forensic shapes
- Bolt group
- Extrusions
- Optimize cross sections
- Effects of corrosion
- Windmill blade
- Laminate materials
- Plot of land area
- Built-up steel tubes
- Encased concrete column
- Doubled members
- Welded assembly
- Damaged and bent shapes
Customize with VisualAnalysis
Try both VisualAnalysis and ShapeBuilder together, right now to analyze frames with custom member shapes. The free trials are completely functional. Trials come with training videos and email support.
The IES Building Suite includes four of our most popular tools at a discount. Available in the Quick Order form, this bundle is an excellent value. ShapeBuilder helps you accomplish more in VisualAnalysis.
